IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


Hr  1^  III  2.0 


1.8 


1.25   ||u      16 

^ 

6"     

► 

m 


m 


^: 


M 


^ 


y 


Photographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


■r,,  WEST  MAIN  STREET 
WSBSTER.N.Y.  MS80 


>. 


'.<^ 


■% 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6td  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  !a  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


D 


D 


D 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  coulour 


r~~|    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagee 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 


rr/l    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 

I — I    along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

□    Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6td  filmdes. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  ondommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul^es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 


QShowthrough/ 
Transparence 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


I      I    Only  edition  available/ 


Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensur<)  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  lotalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14}(  7ax  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Tha  copy  filmed  h«r«  ha*  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
g*n4rositA  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  laglbility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  *t6  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  page  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  beginning  on  the 
first  psge  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  en  terminent  soit  par  la 
darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plet,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autras  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen9ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "I,  or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  '  END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  eignifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.   may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  retios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableeux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmis  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grend  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  filmA  A  psrtir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  heut  en  bas,  en  prenent  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Las  diagrommes  suivants 
illustrant  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

If' 


^m 


SPEECH 


O  F 


MR.  HAMLIN,  OF  MAINE, 


ON   THE 


OREGON    QU  ESTION. 


DELIVERED 


iN  THE  HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES, 


JANUARY    12,    1846. 


WASHINGTON : 

PRINTED  AT  THE  UNION  OFFICE. 
1846. 


>u. 


3 

4. 


ir.  HAM, 
«  moment 
4r.J.  R. 
andment  ^ 
;  «rhich  wa 

ttollfd  ly  t 
Dnitfd  Statti 
President  of 
■iied  to  opei 
otiatjon  witl 
pOBe  of  term 
ch  was  entei 
6th  of  AugU! 

At.  HAMI 
committee 
h«  consider 
them,  he  l 
momentous 
intereetg  th; 
iffected  for 
*ng  decisioi 
millions  of 
3, and  thai 
■a  beating 
ch  they  we 
leaid  by  th 
setta,  [Mr. 
;  there  had  i 
lid  not  be,  a 
igress  eqnal 

4fore   proc( 

question,  h 

ks  to  reply, 

zentlemen  y, 

1  first,  he  c 

rtfly  in  the  s 

nediately  pr 

and  the  coui 

1  it  should  b( 

r,  WAR,  had 

oed  over  out 

■  body;  and 

e  these  ech 

cared  not  w 

)«  walls— wl 

where— he  s 

uty  by  that  s 

efore,  and  up 

other  end  o] 

i  there  under 

rit  that  had  tl 

'•  a  measure  e 


1 

It 
■« 
Ik 


SPEECH. 


dr.  HAMLIN  obtained  the  floor,  but  yielded  it 
•  momeni  to 

ix.  J.  R.  INGERSOLL,  who  rave  notice  of  an 
endment  which  he  should  oner  when  in  or- 
;  which  was  read  us  follows .  ! 

e$olvrd  l.y  thi  Sniate  and  Houie  cf  Rfpicstntativtt  of  i 
{Jnitrd  Statfs  nf  ifmen'co  in  CcnureFs  assembled,  That  I 
President  of  the  United  States  be,  and  he  hereby  is,  an-  j 
ized  to  open,  at  such  time  aii  he  may  deem  expedient,  a  j 
otiation  with  the  government  of  (ireat  Britain  for  the 
p«se  of  terminating,  by  mutual  consent,  the  convention  I 
ch  was  entered  in'O  between  the  two  governraentK  on 
6th  of  August,  1827.  ' 

ir.  HAMLIN  resumed  the  floor,  and  addres-sed 
committee  during  the  allotted  hour.  He  came 
he  consideration  of  the  question  now  presented 
them,  he  trusted,  with  a  full  understanding  of 
momentous  importance,  and  of  the  magnitude  of 
interests  that  were  committed  to  their  hands  to 
iffected  for  weal  or  for  wo  by  the  right  or  the 
>ng  decision  of  this  question.  The  eyes  oftwen- 
millions  of  people  were  watching  their  action 
J,  and  the  hearts  of  twenty  millions  of  freemen 
•a  beating  with  anxiety  as  to  the  action  at 
ch  they  wene  finally  to  arrive;  and  it  had  been 
I  eaid  by  the  venerable  gentleman  from  Masea- 
setta,  [Mr.  Adams,]  that  for  years  that  were 
;  there  had  not  been,  and  for  years  to  come  there 
lid  not  be,  a  question  submitted  to  the  American 
igress  eqnal  in  its  moment,  equal  in  its  impor- 
■*. 

efore  proceeding  directly  to  the  discussion  of 
question,  he  designed  to  "refer,  and  in  a  few  te- 
les to  reply,  to  positions  which  had  been  taken 
wntlemen  wlio  had  preceded  him  in  this  debate. 
1  first,  he  concurred  most  cheerfully  and  most 
rtily  in  the  sentiments  of  the  gentlemen  who  had 
nediately  preceded  him  in  relation  to  the  charac- 
and  the  course  the  debate  had  assumed,  and  by 
I  it  should  be  diverted  to  no  improper  direction. 
r,  WAR,  had  been  shouted  within  these  walls  and 
oed  over  our  vast  country,  to  re-act  again  upon 
i  body;  and  by  whom,  and  on  what  authority 
e  these  echoes  sent  abroad  through  the  land' 
cared  not  whether  the  shout  came  up  within 
19  walls — whether  it  was  manufactured  here  or 
where — he  should  not  be  diverted  from  his  path 
uty  by  that  stale  and  senseless  cry.  He  had  heard 
efore,  and  upon  this  same  subject  years  ago  in 
other  end  of  this  Capitol.  When  this  subject 
i  there  under  discussion,  it  was  ihe  same  master- 
rit  that  had  then  raised  this  cry  of  war,  war  to  de- 
;«  Rieasure  extending  our  laws  over  the  Oregon 


territory.  He  referred  to  a  bill  prepared  by  the  laic 
and  lamented  Doct.  Linn.  Why  was  it  that  gentle- 
men assumed  this  position.' — a  position  which  neith- 
er the  facts  here  or  elsewhere  justified,  and  a  position 
taken  in  order  to  produce  a  panic.  Rome  nad  her 
punic  wars,  but  it  was  reserved  for  us  to  have  our 
panic  wars. 

Let  us  examine  (continued  Mr.  H.)  briefly  the 
position  of  the  question  before  us.  In  1818,  a  cer- 
tain convention  was  entered  into  between  the  respec- 
tive governments  of  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain,  relative  to  the  territory  upon  our  northwest 
coast,  known  as  the  Oregon  territory.  That  treaty 
was,  by  its  own  limitations,  to  remain  in  force  but 
ten  yeara.  In  1827  it  was  renewed  by  a  treaty 
which  was  to  be  terminated  whenever  either  of  thic 
two  high  contracting  parties  should  give  twelve 
months'  notice  of  their  desire  for  it.  And  now,  for- 
sooth, because  we  come  here  in  thf^  way  marked  out 
by  the  treaty  to  exercise  the  power  thus  specially 
provided  for  in  that  treaty,  we  arc  to  be  met  as  the 
war  party  !  1  repel  the  imputation,  and  I  hur!  ic 
back  again,  (.said  Mr.  H.)  It  is  that  very  cry  in  and 
of  itself  that  tends  more  to  produce  a  war  than  any 
other  course  which  cun  be  taken  here.  We  on  thiia 
side  of  the  House  are  the  peace-parly.  Timid  coun- 
sels tend  to  war — "fear  admitted  to  our  councils  be- 
trays like  treason."  I  cannot  sympathize,  then, 
with  gentlemen  who  use  this  argument,  although 
they  may  use  it  honestly:  nor  will  I  permit  it  to  di- 
vert this  discussion,  so  far  as  1  am  concerned,  from 
its  true  nnd  legitimate  track.  We  ask  nothing  on 
this  side  of  the  House  but  the  exercise  of  our  confsti- 
tutional  rights — rights  that  are  pointed  out  and  de- 
fined by  the  very  treaty  under  which  we  are  act- 
ing. And  is  it  true  that  the  exercise  of  these 
rights,  as  we  propo-se  it,  is  any  cause  of  war? 
No,  Sir.  "  Old  men  see  visions,  and  young  men 
dream  dreams,"  the  gentleman  from  Virginia,  [Mr. 
Hunter]  tells  us ;  and  my  word  for  it,  it  was 
but  the  dream  of  the  gentleman's  waking  hours 
when  he  made  his  panic-war  speech,  on  the  ground 
that  this  notice  was  a  measure  designed  in  anyway 
or  calculated  to  be  a  war  measure.  While  with  gen- 
tlemen in  all  parts  of  this  House,  he  most  cheerfully 
concurred  that  peace  was  to  be  desired  above  every- 
thing else,save  the  preservation  of  our  national  domain 
and  our  national  honor,  he  (Mr.  H.)  did  not  hold 
war  to  be  an  evil  from  which  they  should  shrink,  when 
the  preservation  of  our  national  rights  and  our  nation- 
al honor  demanded  it.  If  we  were  to  be  deterred  from 
exercising  our  constitutional  rights  by  that  stale 
clamor,  then  how  long  would  it  be  before  we  would 


X  U  O 


1 


lie  stripped  of  every  right  wc  do  posswia  by  inviting 
other  governments  to  aggrciiEionn  upon  us.-  Analyze 
the  mtittcr  carefully  and  it  could  not  be  mistaken. 
It  was  Buch  "stuiT'  in  fact  as  dreams  were  made  of. 
And  it  hardly  bcci\me  gentlemen,  thus  in  terror,  to 
Hound  the  note  of  war  now,  when  we  were  dealing 
with  a  ration  worthy  to  be  our  foe.  For  it  would 
i;ot  be  forgotten,  when  a  fear  of  collision  with  a 
neighboring  province  was  anticipated — a  provinre 
m»  miserably  weak  as  to  incur  the  contempt  i. fa 
great  nation — then  there  were  no  dreams  to  dia- 
turb  our  nerves,  but  action — immndiatt  action — was 
the  rally  cry,  come  what  might.  Certainly  our 
course  should  not  now  be  retarded;  for  we  should 
Chen  suffer  a  just  reproach.  Let  ua  be  as  firm  and 
consistent  in  ''aelion^^  now. 

There  was  another  remark  to  which  he  wished  to 
allude.  Too  often  within  these  walls,  in  the  discus- 
sion of  varioua  measures,  l>ad  he  heard  t-'uintsand 
reproaches,  eilh<r  directly  or  by  implication,  cast 
upon  various  sections  of  this  Union:  and  when  they 
wisd  been  directed  to  that  section  where  it  was   his 
pride  and  his  pleasure  to  reside,  lie  had  felt  them  thrill 
aionghis  nerves  like  an  electric  shock,  and  the  im- 
pulses of  his  heart  had  been  upon  hi.''  lips  to  hurl 
them  back    again-%  But   time   and    reflection   had 
chastened  these   feelings,  and  he  passed   tluivi  by 
ifl    sorrow    that  they  should  come    from  the  lips 
of  any  individual  on  this  floor;  and  while  it  wm  his 
glory    and    his    pride    to     be    an    inhabitimt    of 
that  section  whose    motives   were  so  often   ques- 
tioned here,  he  had  a  sintjle  word  to  say  in  behalf 
of  that  ncople.     He  had  no  objections  to  interpose 
tten*  in  defence  of  what  may  have  been    the  errors 
or  the  wickednesses  of  her  politicians,  but  in  behalf 
of  her  citizens  he  had  a  word  to  say.     Ho  believed 
tiiem  lobe  as  patriotic  as  any  other  class  of  citi- 
2-e«3  to  be  found  incur  Union.    They  had  exhibit- 
ed their  patriotism  and  their  valor  on  many  a  well- 
foughl  field.     Their  bones  had  bleached  on  many  a 
northern  hill,  and  the  barren  sands  of  tiie  South  had 
drunk  in  their  best  blood.     Sir,   (said  Mr.  H.,)  I 
point  with  pride  to  the  ?\orth,  and  invite  yon  there 
to  witness  a  system  which  has  grown  up  with  us, 
atid  which  is  our  ornament.     1   point  you    to  our 
.system  of  free  labor.     I  point  yon  to  our  common 
.schools — to  our  chijrcliet;,  with  their  spires  point- 
ing towards   heaven — and  1  glory  in  them.     They 
are  the  monuments   tliat  belong  to  a   people   who 
have  the  true  spirit  of  citizens  of  a  free  government. 
The.se  things  were  the  glory  of  the  north;  and  Mr.  H. 
gioneil  in  them.     They  were  bloodless  moral  momi- 
i.iei  ts  wliicli  marked  theadvaneing  progress  of  a  free 
p  I  pi '.  But  I  stop  not  there;  I  ask  you  to  go  with  me 
Uirougliout  this  whole   broad   nation;  and  1  point 
you  to  her — I  point  you  to  the  whole  Union   as  a 
Uionumenl  of  political  grandeur  towering  towards 
the  heavens,  upon  which  the  friend   or  freedom, 
wherever  upon  our  globe  he   may  be,  may  gaze, 
arolmd  whose  highest  summit  the  s^unlight  of  glory 
forever  shines,  and  at  whose  base  a  free  people  re- 
poses, and,  I  tiust,  forever  will   repose.     So  much 
lor  New  England,  my  home;  so  much  for  the  Union, 
my  country. 

.  Mr.  H.  now  advanced  to  a  more  direct  discussion 
<t(  the  question  immediately  before  them;  and  he 
first  asked  the  attention  of  this  House  to  the  duty 
wliicli  they,  as  guardians  of  the  public  weal,  owed 
to  thenvseives  and  to  our  common  country.  He 
called  their  attention  to  tiiat  duty  which,  as  a  com- 
ponent part  of  this  government,  they  owed  to  its 
cil/ena  wherever  they  may  be  foimd.  If  lliere  were 


a  single  duty  which  ri-iea  o\-er,  above,  ar.d  bey»  gentle 
all  others,  it  was  that  of  the  American   republiinitalale  li^ 
atVurd  protection  to  the  American  citizen  wherf        «yrii 
he  may  be  found  upon  the  American  aoil.     It '  ad| 

one  of  the  liighest  duties  incident  to  the  charge  c         Ttatf 
mittcd  to  their  hands;  wherever  our  national  '''"I 

floats  upon  the  breeze,  it  should  be  a  certain  in  Mr.  H.  nj 
of  ample  protection  to  the  American  citir.en  u.eiition  in| 
his  rights  of  person  and  of  property.     Why,  ttf  ours; 
true  (asked  Mr.  11.'  that,  in  the  nineteenth  ceik  he  hail 
ry,  under  this  government,  which  we  believe  tela  been  th| 
the  best  the  world  ha.s  ever  seen — Ls  it  true  thate  in  authc 
cry,  "I  am  an  American  citizen,"  shall  not  b>  the  Amel 
Kurc  a  safeguard,  and  a  pledge  of  protection,  as)  into  thail 
cry,    "I  am  ,i  Roman  citi'.en"  was  in  the  paj4   to   rcfl 
days  of  Rome;    It  was  said  by  an  ancient  phile,jconsiderl 
pher  that  the  government  which  feels  most  ■»«»  f>08itiorr 
bly,  and  which  redresses  most  promptly,  everyf   England 
jury   visited   by  a  foreign   power  upon  its   liie.    This! 
humble   citizen,    best    discharged   the    duties  ilea  establl 
cumbent  upon  it.  And  is  it  not  truly  so?  What,  Komine  cal 
greater  degree  than  the  strict  discharge  of  itsdutial  point  ol 
us  citizens  will  call  forth  theiraffectiona  and  their  asion  with! 
ally,  and  will  draw  them  forth  to  protect  the  ins'Xtend  ourl 
tioiis  and  defend  the  standard  of  their  common  cciurpose  of  I 
try  ill  the  hour  of  that  country's  peril?    The  citfae  cotton-^ 
who  realizes   the  full  assurance  that  his  rights  la  broad  as 
iilways  be  defended  with   a  sleepless  vigilance,  mj[i^<  to  the 


in  his  turn,  ever  be  ready  to  discharge  with  protH  the  repr 
nc'-'s  and  fideiitv  all  the  duties  that  country  ina'^Oun'ry- 
quire  of  him.     '  .he  rules  es 

How,  then ,  is  oi:r  iroveniinent  to  extend  that  ^^'  consi  e 
tection.  and  that  aid  which  are  renuired  from  l^orluern  at 
its  citizens,  to  those  wanderers  to  the  distant  portic'^^''"'^'"'^ 
its  territory  westward  uf  the  Rocky  mountains. '**^>  .. 
those  citizens   liave    been    wrested  from  Amer'r''^  *^  ."^^ 


soil  to  be  tried   for  alleged  offences  by  foreign 


their  citizer 


They  have  been  dragged  from  their  peaceful  ho:6.^'^"    _^,  ■ 
from  their  own   domestic  firesides,  and  iiave  :"''•?  V     < 
tried  and  held  amenable  to  the  laws  of  British  p'?*\v'^^r 
inces;  and  here,  in  the  lOth  century,  from  this -^      '^.'  • 
clamor  of  war  ringing  in  our  e-i.rs,  are  we  to  '^^{i      I'l 
and  fold  our  arms  about  us,   and  say    ''^^''^'^'^.  .ui- n 
pause  a  while  before  we  give  this  notice.      We  ■.T^'^^  _         , 
loiuse   the   lion  in  hio  lair.     England  with  her  c'P.j"^^', 
of  military  po,sty  aroi'iul  the  world  may  be  aroi;        ■.,.  Uo  ij 

and  we  do   not  preciaelv   foresee   what  wiUbe?''/,/      ., 

,,    '  IV-      ..•'         ,•        u     ij  I         let  them  nt 

consequences:'      JNo;   the  notice  should  be  gi "1  „„,,or.rt 

now,  and  protcciioii  to  American  citizens  shouli      j  ' 

extended  v,  licrever  they  are  found  on  American  ^J,        ■  i 

and  then  that  flaj;  that  had  been  borne  aloft  in  trim         , .  „  ,u 

1      c      1       ^       .1     I  I  ir.ust  be  tn 

III  tl;c  b.itUe  and  in  the  breeze,  ut-on   the  oceaii     ,    ..„,  .., 

.u       1  I  .1  III-         .    .•     P<V  i^ot  on 

upon    the     lakes,    the    emblem    of    protectior.  '  ' 


the     lakes,    the    emblem    of  ,..„.„ nortions  o 

each  and  to  every  of  our  citizens,   will  float  ",^^     pi,,. 


u     .    •         -•      /-  I  <  cies.    Bui 

ver  o\er  the  homes  ot  a   f.-ee  and  happy  peo  iv^mg  eau 
L  hat  fag  which  now  '  ^^^  ^v^^  ^^ 

"S?o  proudly  drinlvs  the  morniasc  light  South  WO 

O'er  ocean's  vvHVf  in  t'oriigu  clime,  cie^^^^d  pi 

A  .-J  mLol  ol  our  might." 


This  faithful  discharge  of  governmeiUal  dt 
will  be  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  in  fav 
the  advancement  of  the  principles  of  our  own 
government.  The  feeling  of  every  citizen  that 
tection  in  person  ;uid  property  is  secured  to  hiir 
the  laws  and  by  the  flag  of  his  country,  will  s' 
more  surely  than  aught  else  to  extend  and  w; 
our  broad  domain.  Let  it  be  done,  and  our  i 
ernment  v.  ill  pur.'iue  its  onward  course  byitsii, 
power,  until  it  shall  extend  from  the  isthmus  «f 
rien  to  the  fro/en  regions  of  the  North — from 
rough,  rock-bound   coast  of  the  Atlantic,  baci; 


factured  f 
B-.urkets  ( 
West  hac 
It  was  a  ( 
North,  tl 
a .  great 
L'nion. 
keta  in  tl 
treaty  ati 
our  cotti 
empire. 
America 
oontineii 


?r,  above,  and  bey,  gentle  murmuni  of  the  Pacific.  Then,  in  the 
American  republi  citable  language  of  our  own  diytioguieihcd  poet — 
icun  citizen  wherf 

Imprirnn  ar»;i       r.  "V'jJe  ihall  ouf  own  free  Hire  iiicrrasc, 

American  aoil.     It  •■  ^„j  ^i^^  p^t^„j  ^^f,  ^i^gtic  chain 


em  totlie  charge  c 
ver  our  national 


roperty.     Why, 
he  nineteenth  cei; 
lich  we  believe 


That  bimU  in  (•verlustint;  uoacu 
Stale  after  State— a  mighty  train." 

lid  he  a  certain  itifUr,  H.  next  proceeded  to  the  consideration  of  this 
merican   citi7:en  u.«jtion  in  a  commercial  point  of  view.      Oregon 
^1  ours;  it  belongs   to   ua;   and   tht-  queetion  of 
'    he  had  no   diapo&ition  here   to  examine.    It 
_  been  thoroughly,  ably  examined  oy  Uiose  who 
•n — is  it  true  that«  in  authority,  and  the  result  has  beeti  presented 
".en,"  shall  not  bi  the  American  republic.     Hehad  no  dispowition  to 
of  protection,  as)  into  that  examination.    He  should  be  well  satis- 
was  in  the  pai^    to   rest  himself  on  him   who  at  least  might 
y  an  ancient  phile.jconsidered    the   Achille.s    of   this   question,  in 
:iich  feels  most  -eie  jMJsition    that   our    title    was  better  than  that 
promptly,  everyf   England.      It   was    more;    it    was    a    perfect 
awer  upon  its  lije.    This  being  our  territory,  then,  by  laws  and 
'ged   the    duties  iks  esUiblished  by  Great  Britain   herself,  let  them 
truly  so?  What,  xamine  carefully  into  its  importance  in  a  commer- 
scharge  of  itsdutial  point  of  view.    They  were  told  on  another  oc- 
rections  and  thfirmion  within  these  walls  that  it  was  necessary  to 
to  protect  the  insixtend  our  public  domain  in   the  southwest  for  the 
r  their  common  courpose  of  securing  to  our  country  u  monopoly  of 
's  peril?    The  cithe  cotton-growing  interest;  and  the  argument  was 
;e  that  his  rights  ua  broad  lis  our  Union;  it  i^uinc  home  to  tl;e  fcel- 
eplcss  vigilance,  ^nei-,  to  the  interests,  and  to  the  principles  of  action 
icharge  with  prot»r  the  representatives  from  every  sectita    of  our 
that  country  raa;:Oi.ntry.     Let  them  now  weigh  hy  the  .^liime  rules, 
he  rules  established  on  that  occasion,   the  commer- 
it  to  extend  that  ~^-  considerations  involved  in  this  question.    The 
e  required  from  northern  and  the  middle  States  areesientiully  manu- 
the  distant  portic'^^'^'"""!?  States— the  northern  States  purticuUir!y; 
cky  mountains.  Utey  are  situated  in  a  high  latitude,  under  a  forbid- 
'sted  from  Amer'^'-^  climate,  and    yet  they   have   the   industry  of 
ices  by  foreign  b'^^"'  citizens,  the   water-power,  and   the   facilities 
heir  peaceful  hof??^*^" ''^^"" '^y""'"'"^ ''^ '^^"*^^''  ^''i^"^  ^  manufuctu- 
iides,  and  have  :"''-   P«^ople.     The   South — the  "^unny   South'" — 
awa  of  British  p™*>'  ffi'ow  the  staple  produce  of  thatcountry;  anct 
itury,  from  this  ^^^^  VVest  may  be  the  graiiary  not  only  of  our  own 
e-i.rs  are  we  to  '^'^''""y' ^"^'  ^'^'^  ''  '*"  ^i"'"^'-  the  granary  of  the 
and  say    ••We^'^'"''''     Then,  he  said,   in  a  commercial   point  of 
s  notice.      We  ■'*^'^^'  '^'^  matter  came  home  to  the  feelings  a..d  the 
Hand  with  her  c'P'^''^'*^  "^  *'^^''y  c'^'zen  of  every   sectior.   of  our 
rid  niay  be  arou'*'"''^'''y'''^"'"''^'' '^"^'""'y"     '^'"^  North  must  neces- 
see   what  vviU  be'^'^''y ''^ ''^^ '^^""^'*'^'"'"'"8  section  of  this  Uuion: 
ce  should  be   »  '*'  them  have  on  outlet;  let  there  be  an  easy  mode  of 
in  citizens  shout  "fo-'^sportation  and  communication  to  the  far  West, 
id  on  American  *'"^   ^^  would  become  the  manufacturers  almost 
■of  the  world.     Tlie  northern  aiid  the  middle  Stales 
tli.w„.n.>.   n<usl  be  that  portion  of  our  Union,  which  will  sun- 
ply  not  only  i.nd;a  but  China,  and   ail  the   eastern 
portions  of  the  world,  with  their  manufactured  arti- 
cJes.     But  he  stopped  not  here.     The   matter  came 
Kome  equally  to  the  interests  of  the  South,  because 
for  the  supply  of   those   manufactured  articles  the 
South  would  be  called  upon  for  their  staple,  for  in- 
creased production  of  that  staple,  which  in  its  manu- 
factured form  is  thus  destined  to  fin     t.s  way  to  the 
B-.yrkets  of  the  East.     It  was  a  cpiestion  in  which  the 
West  had  no  right  to  assurnr,  a  particular  interest. 
It  was  a  question  which  came   home  equally  to  the 
JVorth,  the  South,  the  East,  and  the  Vv'cut.     It  was 
a .  great  national  question,  co-exten&ivc  with  our 
Union.     Why,  we  were  already  opening  our  mar- 
kets in  the   East;  we  have  already  established  our 
treaty  stipulations  with  China;  we  have  already  sent 
our  cotton  and  manufactured  goods  into  the  eastern 
empire.    Last   year    more    Uian   six    millions    of 
American  manufactures  were  se.it  to   the  eastern 
oontinent,  and  of  tluvt  amount  more  than  four  inil- 


nrne  aloft  in  triut^^^^*^*"""'^ • 
upon 

f»  of  protectioi. 
zens,  will  float 
i  and  happy  peo 


i£f  liffUt 
iaie. 


overrrnental  du 
;uments  in  favo 
les  of  our  own 
?ry  citizen  that 
securt?d  to  hiir 
country,  will  * 
extend  and  vv 
one,  and  our  i 
lourse  by  its  n, 
the  isthmus  (*f 
(  North— from 
I  Atlantic,  bac:; 


lion  a  of  dollars  is  behoved  to  hav»  been  of  cotton 
goods.  We  have  opened  the  Chinese  market,  and 
in  o|)cning  that  market,  with  the  advance  which 
comuierco  u  ill  give  in  that  distant  portion  of  thfl 
globe  to  ciMJi/.ation,  to  refinement,  and  to  Christi- 
ani'.y,  we  have  opened  a  market  which  will  call  for 
untold  millions  of  the  nianufactured  ..rticles  of  the 
northern  and  middle  States — manufujtured  from  thia 
staple  of  the  South.  Beside,  the  commerce  of  thn 
North  was  deeply  intcreMed  in  her  whnling-ships. 
That  ocean  is  now  covered  with  nearly  TOO  ships, 
and  half  a  hundred  smaller  vessels,  manned  by  more 
than  'J),(H)0  of  our  citizens,  and  sending  home  as  the 
fruits  of  their  labor  more  than  three  millions  of  oil 
annually. 

Mr.   H.   proceeded    to  enlarge    upon  the  val- 
ue and  extent  of  the  commerce  whicli  would  grow 
up  between  the  East  Indies  and  our  Tacific  country, 
if  wc  had  possession  of  Oregon.    The  trade  between 
the   United  States  and  the  Eaat  Indies  was  already 
very  important.     But  it  would  be  vastly  increased 
when  wc  should  find  a  route  for  that  trade  overland 
to    the    Pacific   and  acrots  that    ocean    to  India. 
Wherever  commtice  went,  there  the  lights  of  civili- 
zation   and    Christianity    would    soon    be   found. 
Wherever  the  jieople  of  the  East  have  become  en- 
lightened by  comm.erci;il   it>tercourse   with  us,  she 
would  consume  a  vast  qiiimtity  of  our  products, 
while   they  would   supply  us  liberally  with  theirs. 
Who  could  tell  what   uncounted  millions  of  manu- 
factured  goodd   from   the  United  States  would  be 
marketed    in   the     East   Indies  ?     Commerce  was 
therefore  deeply  interested   in  preserving  the  integ- 
rity of  our  ih^main.     He  wnL-.ld  gladly  pursue  thi»s 
subject  further  if  time  was  allowed,  and  show  that 
this  question  was  one   that  concerned  the  cDmmerce 
of  the  whole  country,  and  that  the  whole  people  of 
the  United  Stales  were  interested  in  it.     But  he  wau 
limited  in  time,  and  he  could  not  pursue  the  tiubject 
in  all  it.s  dttail>. 

lie  was  in  favor  ofgiving  this  notice,  as  he  had 
already  declared.  He  was  in  favor  of  giving  it  now. 
I"'or  this  cour.se  ho  would  give  reasons.  Eirst,  he 
trusted  that  by  giving  the  notice,  the  danger  of  de- 
lay and  of  obstruction  in  our  councils  would  be 
obviated.  The  gentleniun  who  had  immediately 
preceded  him  in  the  deliate,  [Mr.  Toombs,]  prefer- 
red the  nrncndment  of  the  gentleman  from  Alaba- 
ma [Mr.  Hii-LiMio,]  which  left  it  discretionary  with 
the  President  to  give  the  notice  at  such  lime  as  he 
might  sec  fit.  That  would  lead  to  serious*  difficul- 
ties. He  Wduld  say  that  thi.?  propus.aon  came  with 
no  good  design,  so  fa.- as  hr-  could  judge  of  it,  though 
ho  had  no  doubt  of  the  iionorable  motives  of  the  gen- 
tleman who  oflfcred  it.  It  would  change  the  issue 
which  ouglitto  be  made.  Instead  of  inquiring  wheth- 
er wc  would  act  and  act  now,  wc  would,  by  this 
course,  give  a  discretionary  power  to  the  Executive 
tiy  act  or  not,  and  either  now  or  at  a  later  period. 
Some  would  think  tliat  the  President  had  acted  too 
soon  if  he  acted  now.  Others  would  think  that  he 
had  acted  too  late  if  he  posstpoued  it.  It  would  give 
an  opportunity  to  many  to  shelter  tiiein^elves  from 
responsibility,  and  to  reproach  the  President  witli 
having  r.cted  out  of  lime.  The  true  question  was 
whether  we  should  gi\-e  the  notice  nuw.  Should 
wc  afisume  the  responsibility  of  action,  or  throw  it 
upon  the  President?  That  was  an  important  ques- 
tion. Why  should  not  we  lake  upon  ourseivea 
the  responsibility  of  actjon  in  the  matter? 

Many  gentlemen  wished  to  shift  the  responsibil- 
ity off  frora  ihemsevw^s,  and  then,  if  the  President. 


promptly,  they  would  lay,  lie  was  rash, 
imprudent,  hnatyi  und  if  he  waited  tor  a  while, 
they  would  «<iy  thut  he  had  let  alip  the  jE^oldcn  mo- 
ment. Why,  if  the  subject  had  been  referred  to 
ijH,  und  if  the  power  belonged  to  us,  nhouid  we  not 
•  xereiBC  the  power  nnd  five  the  notice  at  onc«?  If 
iliere  woaany  udvuntage  in  giving  the  noiicc  tit  nil, 
It  waH  proper  to  give  it  nt  the  earlieNt  moment  with- 
out loss  of  tim".  If  wc  did  not  give  i'.  now,  in 
what  poaition  should  we  be  left?  The  whole  subject 
would  be  suffered  to  take  its  chance,  without  an  ef- 
fort on  our  part  to  maintain  our  rights.  He  knew 
that  it  had  been  recommended  to  lis  to  adopt  "a 
wise  and  manterly  inactivity" — that  wiis,  to  do  noth- 
ing. He  would  rather  call  it  masterly  duplicity,  or 
masterly  dishoncaty,  to  take  measures,  in  un  indi- 
rect way,  ti.  get  possession  of  the  country,  without 
suffering  our  oIiJlcI  to  be  known.  How  lopg  did 
gentlemen  wish  to  carry  on  this  masterly  duplicity? 
.Some  of  thcni  had  fixed  a  limit  to  it  of  twenty 
years.  Sir,  (said  Mr.  H.,)  1  have  a  single  idea  on 
that  point.  We  had  told  our  people  that  they 
might  occupy  that  country.  Were  they  to  be  thus 
cncoiiragfed  to  go  there  and  settle,  and  yet  not  be 
entitled  to  our  protection.''  If  you  do  jiot  take 
them  under  your  wing,  can  you  expect  to 
retain  their  allection.'  No.  They  would  be 
faithless  to  themselves  if  they  g;we  you  uiiy  confi- 
dence or  nffection  after  such  treatment.  Av  wdl 
might  a  mother  e.spcct  the  love,  of  her  cliiiiiren 
whom  she  repelled  from  her  bosom,  and  cnstou'  inio 
the  world  without  pnitection.  It  would  be  a  inost 
unnatural  mother  that  would  cast  ofi' Ik  r  children 
as  wc  would  do  were  we  not,  to  givd  this  iioii'-e. 
Should  we  acquire  a  colony  by  this  coutHc  of'  nin!!- 
terly  disiionesty,  it  would  muke  us  the  reprouo.h  of 
a!!  nations.  While  he  reminded  the  admirers  of 
the  Briti:di  governtncnt  that  it  was  one  of  splendid 
palaces  contrasting  with  squaliil  poverty,  there 
was  one  ihinj;  in  the  British  government  that 
Jie  admired,  much  as  he  despi.seil  all  the  v/.iiu- 
ing  about  lier  power,  and  greatness,  und  glory. 
He  admired  it  for  one  special  qnality — its  care 
of  its  subjects.  It  gave  protecMon  to  it.s  sub- 
jects all  over  the  world.  Wherever  the  subject  of 
England  might  be,  he  was  covei'ed  with  the  nroiec- 
lion  of  British  laws  and  British  [lower.  This,  in 
his  opinion,  Wiis  an  example  worthy  of  iiiiilation. 

He  would  gu  i\  stt'p  furtlirr  than  the  notice,  and 
extend  the  protection  of  our  law.s  over  our  cii.i/.en.v 
in  Oregon.  If  we  did  not,  we  should  fall  sliort  of 
our  duty.  After  doing  tliis,  he  Wduld  go  stiil  fur- 
ther, and  create  those  bands  of  iron  v.'hich  were 
to  bind  indissoliibly  together  in  one  union 
the  people  of  the  Atlantic  and  the  people 
of  the  Pacific.  He  would  go  for  a  raiiioiul  across 
the  Rocky  mountains — ^for  annihilating  linie 
and  ."pace  between  us  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Pacific  coast.  In  a  military  point  of  view,  tliiH  rail- 
road would  be  necessary.  We  should  be  obliged, 
for  the  protection  and  defence  of  the  country,  to 
establish  this  mode  of  communication.  While  it 
would  afford  military  protection  for  the  defence  of 
the  country,  it  would  be  the  means  of  creating  a 
vast  trade  between  the  eastern  and  western  portions 
of  the  continent.  The  immediate  consequence  of 
such  a  trade  would  be  to  open  a  troflic  in  our  manu- 
ftictures  with  the  people  of  the  East  Indies;  next,  we 
.should  be  able  to  drive  out  all  competition  on  the  part 
<if  the  British  fabrics  in  that  lucrative  and  impor- 
tant trade.  We  would,  by  means  of  this  overland 
communication,  be 80011  able  to  create  immense  com- 


mercial depots  on  the  couat  of  the  Pacific.  \ 
could  make  voya^eii  to  the  Eait  Indie«  in  half ; 
time  that  Qrrat  Britain  could.  Our  mnnufactu 
would  thus  compete  in  that  important  and  increasi 
market,  with  those  of  Great  Britain,  and,  inde> 
drive  out  all   competition;  and  thus  they  would  I  jj 

come  established  on  a  firm  foundation,  without  i**   ^^ 
aid  of  a  black  tariff  to  maintain  them.     He  '"**1  IJHi'*" est! 
ways  opposed  internal  improvemenla  by  the  g*n<??    j. , 
government;  but  he  would  adopt  this  improveme*Jr         , , 
as  a  military   work — one  necessary  for  the  pu^'^'ij^^og  i 
defence,  though  it  would  be  used  (or  civil  ana  coil.       >•  I 
mercial  purposes.     In  a  military   point  of  tiew,  ^J?  "IJon  1 
a  defence  to  the  country,  it  would  be  far  more  **jj^*no  Jl 
cient  than  battlements  along  the  coast.  f^.       ' 

Should    the   United  States   delay    to    do    th?     r  .Ug , 
duty    to   their   citizens     in    Oregon,    the    Briti<^  . 
government  would  avail  themselves  of  the  delay  ^.-^  ^\ 
take  measures  for  securing  the  territory  to  her  su.^^     ^^^ 
jects.  Great  Britain  had  already,  by  force  and  frauff*^'   .  „ ^ 


covered  the  world  with  more  than  a  hundred  col 


nios.    She  had  done  this  by  blood  and  carnage,  ar. 


croachmd 


m  violation  of  the  rights 


ingc,  nil.  1         ,u 

of  all  nations  with  whic^^JJ^'^ 


jia  rivc^ 
only 
■■jnts;  bull 


she  had  l)ccn  connected  as  an  ally,  or  opposed  to  flu-i' ^^  ^^ 
a  foe.  The  history  of  India  would  tell  the  whole  si(  ?;. 
ry.     In  the  year  1600,  during  the  reign  of  Que?"*"" 
I<ilii'.abeth,  a  charier  for  commercial  purposes  we. 
granted  to  some  private  trading  adventurers.     Th'^ 
cotnpany  have  spread  death  and  desolation  over  th   *  _ 

East.     Under  W  arren  Hastings  every  crime,  everlA  memb 
.species  of  perfidy,  and  cruelty,  and  rapine  was  pe.Yes, 
[letiiUed  for  the  acquisition  of  territory  and  of  weaken  if  s^e 
by  the  cotnpany.    So  fearful  and  prodigious  v/nined  by 
his  rapacity  and  cruelty,  that  he  became  the  thenisans  by  w 
of  universal  execration   by  orators  and  poets.     lutination 
had  been  remarked,  in  one  of  the  invectives  againf  t  in  Engl 
him,  that  when  some  wretch,  laden  witli  horriiiel  of  <erri 
crimes  without  a  name,  should  stalk  through  earthj^y^i^iie  ge 
and  we  want  cui-sesfor  him —  ^  jn  the 

'We'J  torture  thought  to  ciirKo  the  wretch;  MVg  ones- 

Anil  then,  to  danin  him  most  supreme,  ,f^    tncinp 

We'd  call  him  Hastings."  ^^  *  ^\"^ 

It,  would  be  easy  to  run  a  parallel  between  ih'.^  valuable 
East  India  Company  and  the  Hudson  Bay  Compa-|y  „„  inl 
ny.  It  would  show  us  the  necessity  of  taking  holdjQ^  The\ 
of  this  matter  in  due  time,  and  of  giving  this  nolicBj^y  ]^ad  n 

novv.  ,     ,       u    ■      ,     ■"  l^"o* 

Government  after  government  had  submitted  tOggo.thene( 

Briti.ih  power  in  the  east — some  being  reduced  by.  ([clayed 
fraud  and  treachery,  and  others  by  force,  until  now  j^jgh  preu 
the  population  brought  under  her  sway  amounted.,!  t^g  ge 
to  more  than  a  hundred  and  thirty  millions.  The^yQijog 
Great  Alogul,  the  former  ruler  of  Hindostan,  was  jjjg  couh 
at  this  day  a  pensioner  on  British  bounty.  And  ^g  gen 
the  British  government,  through  the  East  India  ^m^e^i  j^ 
company  now,  at  this  lime,  by  the  force  of  her  armsy^do^  of 

las:  thout  the 


and 


subjugate 


the 


IS  preparing   to    invade 

province  of  that  country.  Mr.  H.  said  he  would  .j^^^jng  S 
be  glad  to  trace  the  progress  of  this  government  jpt^res,  i 
in  the  East  Indies;  but  not  haviq^  time  for  that,  he  itgrs  rus 
would  say  that  from  beginning  to  end  it  was  jusands  ( 
stamped  with  infamy.  He  called  the  attention  of  )ve  to  th 
the  committee  to  these  facus,  in  order  to  show  that  3  and  si 
unless  we  gave  the  notice  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- ^tyres  wl 
pany,  which  was  formed  upon  principles  akin  to  ^ue  tin 
that  in  the  east,  would  by  gradual  encroachments,be-  netrica,  a 
come  possessed  of  all  the  strong  positions  in  Oregon,  (t  would 
and  be  more  difficult  to  dislodge.  We  might,  as  tend  do\ 
he  said  again,  find  a  parallel  in  their  progress  to  the  to  gentl 
corporation  that  has  so  long  oppressed  and  devas-  jcue,  anc 
tated  the  East.  By  what  waters  were  the  Hudson  to  cbtai 
Bay  Company  originally  bounded?  By  those  waters  s  positio 

!  and  till 


But  still  that 
connexion  with  ilie 


oC  the  Pacific.  \ 
■■t  IndJM  in  half: 
Our  mnnuractu 
ortant  and  inorfasi 
BriUiin,  and,  inde> 

thus  they  would  [  .   ,  it    i      i    u 

ndation,  without  t»»  empt'cJ  into  Hudson's  bay 
nthem.  HehadW^y  had,  by  virtue  of  a  con 
nenla  bv  the  »-nIiP'(*J>*'«"'«"'<^°'"P«"y»  stretched  acrosH  to  the  IV 

pt  thi.  IVnprofcS  *'  ^'*"  *^"  f^'''y  f  ^'""r  ^''''''j '"  ft"' 
sary  for  the  nnh <*•""'"''*'"  coloniea,  and  one  of  the  modpH  of  do- 
Bd  for  civil  and  coi  *'  ^""  *"  opera'e  through  chartered  companies, 
k'  point  ofTiew^'"P"''"^y"''*^"*"'°^  applying  to  the  territory 
iuld  be  far  more  e«  Oregon,  and  it  would  succeed  there  as  well  aa  it 
coaat.  ddonoelsewhcre,  unless  we  should  interfere  in  l»e- 

delav  to  do  thf'^°^  """^  settlers  to  protect  them,  and  give  the  no- 
■e^on  thA  Rr;V^«Of  the  termination  of  the  joint  convention. 
VM  of  the  deJnv^«'o"«"  «?"""»"  "'«  year  1790,  the  British  rov- 
erritorv  to  her  su'**^"'  claimed  the  right  to  make  settlcmentH  on  the 
by  force  and  Iraul*'^"*  ^<'*'""  "°'"'  "^  **^®  Spanish  settlements, 
ma  hundred  co  »^»^'  *'*'*  '"'**"  f''"'^"  ""  ^''^  °''^^'"  '*'*'^'  ""'*  ^''^ 
»d  and  carnaffe  ar****"'^^'"*""'  "^  Great  Britain  were  not  observed, 
nations  with  w'hi'  "'"S'**  ^'^"'  Britain  had  not  only  made  settle- 
y  or  opposed  to  ■-"'^ ''^'"'^^  ''^^^  oldest  Spanish  settlements,  but  also 
I  tell  the  whole  St)*'*'*'"' ^^'""''*"'^*""'  now  come  down  to  the  Co- 
he  rei»n  of  Que'"'''"  ''''*^'''  ^'■'g'"*"y>  ^^^  territorial  pretensions 
rcial  purposeTwr'"  °"*y  ^  ''"'"'?  ^"y""?',  *'"'  old  Spanish  scttlo- 
idventurers.     Th'"'®'  "*""  would  come  down  to  forty- 

desolation  over  th  **' 

every  crime,  ever  [A  member  here  said,  she  is  nearly  there  now.] 
id  rapine  was  pe:Yes,  sir,  (said  Mr.  H.,)  she  will  aoon  be  there, 
itory  and  of  wealten  if  she  is  not  there  now.  What,  then,  can  be 
d  prodigious  v/nined  by  delaying  the  notice,  which  is  the  only 
I  becan»e  the  themeans  by  which  we  can  arrest  her  progress?  Pro- 
ors  and  poets.  lutination  had  been  said  to  be  the  thief  of  time; 
!  invectives  against  in  English  diplomacy,  it  had  proved  to  be  the 
laden  witJi  horriiiel  of  territory. 

alk  through  earth.'While  gentlemen  talked  of  war,  which  only  ex- 
ed  in  the  visions  of  old  men,  or  the  dreams  of 
e  wretch;  ,y„g  (,„eg — while  this  bu£^bear  was  held  up,  we 

""''  !re   losing  the  opportunity    to  secure    for   our- 

.nii»i  k  •   ''*''    *""'    "ur    children     this    most    important 

?j' „  ^"ween  v.n^  valual)le  country.  What  now  would  arise,  was 
ison  iJay  Compa-iy  an   inference    on    the  part  of  these  gentle- 

g      18  notice,gy  },mj  i^Qt  gjjown  us  the  TOorfits  opfvanrft.  Butwejfuinre  event.s;  but  coming  events  sometimes  cast 
11   know  that  the  British   pretensions  would    be  !  their  shadows  before  them.     Judginj  of  the  future 


snred  them  them  that  for  Ui»  llirre  was  no  rttrcot  fror  i 
the  renponxiiiiliiy  of  this  act,  wiilnut  incurring  th- 
ju.s;  reproach  of  the  people  of  the  Unitt»d  State;*,  and, 
indeed,  of  the  whole  world.  The  Kxecutivc  hnl 
preHPnted  his  views  to  Congress,  and  had  rccom 
tiicndeii  to  n.s  the  piissage  of  the  measure  now  he- 
fore  in.  He  had  (mked  for  our  early  artion  upon 
it.  The  Htaie  cry  fif  war  ought  not  to  prevent  u.s 
from  (iisr,liar;;itig  thiw  duty;  and  if  we  should  fttltor 
in  performing  it,  we  should  lie  branded  M  unfaith- 
ful to  our  triiit.  The  Executive  had  laid  before 
lK^  a  Hfalrtncrit  of  our  juRt  r!:iiin.=i,  .'•hnwing  that 
they  had  a  .solid  and  staMe  basis.  The  whole 
world  would  be,  convinced  of  tlicir  truth  and  juKlice; 
and  would  an  American  Congrp?.s  be  found  slow 
to  defcnil  and  RMoert  fliem?  He  (Mr.  H.)  would 
appeal  again  to  the  South,  and  to  the  spirit  of 
theirfathciH — of  .Sumicr,  Marion,  and  Pinckncy — 
and  cdll  upon  them  to  conrie  up  to  tliia  duty  of  de- 
fending our  soil.  Should  fear  of  consequences  pre- 
vent us  from  vindicating  our  rights  from  foreign 
aggreafcion?  Should  the  horrors  of  war  deter  then; 
from  pursuing  their  line  of  duty?  Wi!l  they  not 
come  up  to  the  struggle,  ifneed  be,  and  like  "reapers 
descend  to  the  harvest  of  death?"  True,  the  South 
has  peculiar  interedts  that  would  be  hazarded  in  a 
war;  but  lias  not  the  whole  Atlantic  border  a  deep 
stake  in  the  continuance  of  peace?  We,  sir,  in  the 
northeast  have  an  extensive  commerce.  Our  shipa 
are  found  in  every  s^ea,  and  we  have  cities  on  tno 
seaboard  exposed  to  the  assaults  of  an  enemy.  But, 
sir,  we  are  willing  to  hazard  everything  in  the  de- 
fence of  our  country,  and  to  lay  all  our  wealth  aa 
anotferingon  the  altar  of  the  public  safety.  But 
who  can  believe,  sir,  that  England  will  go  to  war, 
because  we  do  an  act  that  we  arc  entitled  to  do  by 
treaty  Ntipulation??  This  was  too  absurd  an  idea  to 
be  for  a  moment  entertained  by  any  onq. 

But  there  was  another  view  of  tho  subject.     He 
did  not  pretend  to  be  a  wiz7,ard,nor  to  foretell  fu- 


had  submitted  to 


engthened  by  our  eternal  delay.      The  longer   by  the  past,  he  would  say  that  the  moral  force  of 


g   rcauceu  by,  (|piay,;d  the  notice,  the  more  arrogant  would  the  i  our  institutions  would  spread  themselves  over  every 
lorce,  until  nowjjjghpretensionsbecomc.  Onepointmore.  Ourold' 
way  amountedjj,  ^^^  gentleman  from  Virginia  says,  see  visions, 
r   millions.     Tiie.: ° .i..»„_   ,i..„L„      tr-.  .,„o  „^,  „i,i 


r  young  men  dream  dreams. 


I.'"     .^A*"'  *^?iihe  could  not  sec  visions;  and  the  d  Rams  he  left 


the 
)rce 


He  was  not  old, 

oounty.    Ana  ^^  gentleman  from  Virginia.     Let  those  who 
fK^'  ^""'^janed  imagine  that  a  war  will  arise  from  our  as- 
..  ^  °' "^/^«'™'^>rtiori  of  our  rights;  he  did  not  believe  it.     But 
'"      ?  u  li  thout  the  aid  of  visions  he  saw  a  populous  and  en- 

_.  saia  he  would  pricing  State  on  the  slope  of  the  Pacific,  with  m.m- 
nis  government  jjtures^  and  commerce,  and  navigation.  The 
me  lor  that,  he  ,1,^3  rushing  down  to  the  Pacific  would  turn 
to  end  It  was  jmiands  of  wheels  and  spindles.  Our  people  would 
tlie  attention  of  ^^  to  that  region,  and  carry  with  them  all  their 
r  to  show  that  gand  skill  in  all  the  various  branches  of  manu- 
son  pay  Com- -t^res  which  we  have  established  in  thii 


s  region. 


portion  of  tliis  continent.  Their  progress  was  as 
certain  as  destiny.  He  could  not  be  mistaken  in 
the  idea  tiiat  our  flag  was  destined  to  shed  its 
lustre  over  every  hill  ami  plain  on  the  Pacific 
slope,  and  on  every  stream  that  mingles  with  the 
Pai  ific.  What  would  monarchical  institutions  do 
— what  would  tyrants  do — in  this  age  of  improve- 
ment— this  age  of  steam  and  of  lightning?  The 
mariner's  compass,  the  .steam  engine,  the  printing 
press,  with  the  aid  of  electricity,  which  has  anni- 
hilated splice,  have  made  the  world  like  the  ear  of 
Dionysius.  The  voice  of  freedom  in  our  halls  of 
wnr.'ilnp,  in  our  temples,  and  the  knowledge  of  our 
schools,  may  be  heard  in  distant  lands,  and  will  be 
echoed   back.     Let  there  be  r.o  holding  back,  no 


and  dij 
Horth  y 
men: 


nified   manner,   meet  the  crisis  in  a  way 
of  our  country,  and  as  American  atates- 


nciplea  akin  to  ^^g  time  they  will  supply  a  large  portion  of  [folding  of  anna  in  quiet;  but  let  us  rather,  in  a  calm 
Toachments,be- n((rica,  as  veil  ai  A ■?!?,  with  their  fabrics, 
turns  in  Oregon,  [t  would  not  be  long  before  our  settlements  would 
We  might,  as  tend  down  to  the  Mexican  boundary.  He  appeal- 
progress  to  the  to  gentlemen  from  the  South  to  come  up  to  the 
ed  and  devas-  jcue,  and  avail  themselves  of  this  fair  opportuni- 
re  the  Hudson  to  obtain  Oregon.  Fie  asked  their  attention  to 
y  those  waters  j  position  we  occupied  before  the  American  peo- 
)  and  the  world,  in  regard  to  this  subject,  and  u^- 


"Anl  tlic  gun  of  our  nption's  natal  day. 

At  thf!  rise  and  ret 
Shall  boom  from  the  far  northe.ist  away 

To  the  vales  of  Oregon; 
Ai\il  shipn  on  the  soa-f^hore  hifl'and  taok, 
Aud  send  the  peal  of  triumph  back." 


